faithandpeace
Elite Member
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 34
- Gender
- Female
- Religion
- Islam
Aassalamu alaikum everyone,
I have some concerns I want to address as someone who reverted a month ago. I feel like I am under complete attack (at least verbally - not physically alhamdulillah) with regards to Islam. Granted I have heard a rather steady diet of Islamophobia in general mainly from the media and from people here and there out and about in society since 9/11/01. Yet it is affecting me more now that I am Muslim. Most people know I am exploring Islam yet most people do not know yet that I actually reverted. Yet practically everytime the subject of Islam comes up in a conversation whether I or someone else is bringing it up, the emphasis is consistently negative. I am so bombared by the negativity that I seemingly cannot even respond without it becoming an all out angry argument. The few people who know I have reverted are trying to "help me" by warning me from staying away from "extremists, radicals, fundamentalists, etc." Yet in reality what they consider "extremist" is simply normal Islamic practice. People think that if you pray five times per day or that if you actually believe the Qur'an is the complete word of Allah or if you show any semblance of respect for Sharia that there is something wrong with you. People whether they know I've reverted or simply know I'm exploring Islam keep trying to act like they are "protecting me" yet the reality is their idea of an acceptable Muslim (or me being an acceptable Muslim) is to follow a watered-down Westernized castrated form of Islam that is so assimiliated into American culture that whatever it is that I would follow would be indistinguishable from anything else. Yet then I'm accused of being the judgmental one when I dare defend Islam.
I am asked, "You aren't actually thinking of wearing hijab are you?" Or, "I hope you don't start developing that us and them mentality and thinking less of everyone who is not Muslim." People who say they are open minded and supportive in reality have nothing good to say about Islam. They aren't commenting on the merits of various Islamic values or the spiritual benefit of salah or fasting. I've already been accused of "scaring people" into thinking that I'm going "to fall into the trap of jihad." For all I know people are already on the telephone to Homeland Security. Sadly, I already expect to lose people who I thought were good friends and then I am sure they will blame it on me. I haven't done anything that I am aware of to hurt anyone else or shove Islam down their throats. Yet I feel like they want me to never show any signs at all of being Muslim or following Islam yet to continue to listen to all of their negativity and complaints about Sharia and hijab and other things. These constant warnings about staying away from radicals and extremists and women's persecution, etc. is really getting old.
It frightens me because I've bearely even begun practicing Islam as I've only recently taken the Shahada and am in the learning phase of incorporating Islamic practices into my life one at a time as I come to understand them and yet it feels like a full scale war is being waged by so-called "caring and concerned friends" against my faith. Insha'Allah as I become more learned in Islam and incorporate more Islamic practices into my life I will be better prepared to deal with all of this stuff. Yet I feel like it is hard to even get any support. Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this stuff? I know there are plenty of reverts here from the West including the U.S. and some sisters here too. How have you all dealt with it? I don't want to be paranoid yet I don't want to become the victim of violence either. Insha'Allah over time more and more people will know I am Muslim especially when insha'Allah I wear hijab full time. I already feel like I am about to be brought to tears over this.
I have some concerns I want to address as someone who reverted a month ago. I feel like I am under complete attack (at least verbally - not physically alhamdulillah) with regards to Islam. Granted I have heard a rather steady diet of Islamophobia in general mainly from the media and from people here and there out and about in society since 9/11/01. Yet it is affecting me more now that I am Muslim. Most people know I am exploring Islam yet most people do not know yet that I actually reverted. Yet practically everytime the subject of Islam comes up in a conversation whether I or someone else is bringing it up, the emphasis is consistently negative. I am so bombared by the negativity that I seemingly cannot even respond without it becoming an all out angry argument. The few people who know I have reverted are trying to "help me" by warning me from staying away from "extremists, radicals, fundamentalists, etc." Yet in reality what they consider "extremist" is simply normal Islamic practice. People think that if you pray five times per day or that if you actually believe the Qur'an is the complete word of Allah or if you show any semblance of respect for Sharia that there is something wrong with you. People whether they know I've reverted or simply know I'm exploring Islam keep trying to act like they are "protecting me" yet the reality is their idea of an acceptable Muslim (or me being an acceptable Muslim) is to follow a watered-down Westernized castrated form of Islam that is so assimiliated into American culture that whatever it is that I would follow would be indistinguishable from anything else. Yet then I'm accused of being the judgmental one when I dare defend Islam.
I am asked, "You aren't actually thinking of wearing hijab are you?" Or, "I hope you don't start developing that us and them mentality and thinking less of everyone who is not Muslim." People who say they are open minded and supportive in reality have nothing good to say about Islam. They aren't commenting on the merits of various Islamic values or the spiritual benefit of salah or fasting. I've already been accused of "scaring people" into thinking that I'm going "to fall into the trap of jihad." For all I know people are already on the telephone to Homeland Security. Sadly, I already expect to lose people who I thought were good friends and then I am sure they will blame it on me. I haven't done anything that I am aware of to hurt anyone else or shove Islam down their throats. Yet I feel like they want me to never show any signs at all of being Muslim or following Islam yet to continue to listen to all of their negativity and complaints about Sharia and hijab and other things. These constant warnings about staying away from radicals and extremists and women's persecution, etc. is really getting old.
It frightens me because I've bearely even begun practicing Islam as I've only recently taken the Shahada and am in the learning phase of incorporating Islamic practices into my life one at a time as I come to understand them and yet it feels like a full scale war is being waged by so-called "caring and concerned friends" against my faith. Insha'Allah as I become more learned in Islam and incorporate more Islamic practices into my life I will be better prepared to deal with all of this stuff. Yet I feel like it is hard to even get any support. Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this stuff? I know there are plenty of reverts here from the West including the U.S. and some sisters here too. How have you all dealt with it? I don't want to be paranoid yet I don't want to become the victim of violence either. Insha'Allah over time more and more people will know I am Muslim especially when insha'Allah I wear hijab full time. I already feel like I am about to be brought to tears over this.